The Necklace
by Simba72598
Summary: When Teddy and Kathleen are not on missions with Jack and Annie, they keep busy learning from Merlin and Morgan. Trouble is brewing in their world, however, and when a cursed artifact comes into their possession, Teddy and Kathleen face deadly situations that will either break their friendship or turn it into something more.
1. Chapter 1

"'Tis only a simple charm. You really have no faith in me," Teddy teased Kathleen, smirking at her indignation.

"You know that is not true." Kathleen flipped her long black hair over her shoulder and tried to keep a straight face. "You have my complete confidence."

"Well then," Teddy walked around the table to open Merlin's charm book. "Watch this."

The redheaded sorcerer-in-training read the rhyme word for word.

"Just as inspiration should come from the heart,

Paint should be used to create art.

So up, colors, work for your pay,

There is no sense in wasting the day."

Immediately, the paintbrushes Teddy and Kathleen had found earlier began dipping themselves into the jars of blue and green paint. Teddy closed Merlin's spell book and turned to face Kathleen. She spread her hands. "See, I never doubted you. 'Twas a simple charm, just as you said."

Teddy laughed and leaned against the table watching the paintbrushes float towards the paper he had set out earlier. For some reason though, they were moving too slow, sloping paint across the floor. Teddy stopped smiling as the blue paintbrush slung it's color onto a stack of books. Kathleen ran to grab the green paintbrush before it started drawing on the walls of Merlin's library, but it splattered her face as she reached for it. By now Teddy had Merlin's book reopened and was frantically searching for a spell to make it stop. The paintbrushes were going wild, tossing blue and green streaks of color all over the library.

"Teddy!" Kathleen hollered at him. "Stop this, quick!" She was trying to hold one of the struggling paintbrushes while looking at something out the window. "Merlin's coming up the path!"

Teddy scrambled through the pages. There had to be a counter spell somewhere. Why didn't he ever think to look these things up ahead of time?

Finally a rhyme caught his eye. He rushed through it hoping desperately that it was what he needed.

"There is a time for art and a time for play,

Yet now it is time to put the colors away!"

Instantly, the paintbrushes flopped to the ground like lifeless fish. Teddy backhanded his forehead and surveyed the mess. Before he could do anything about it, however, the door opened and Merlin entered, balancing a stack of blank scrolls in his arms.

"Good After- What happened here?!" Merlin nearly dropped his scrolls, as he glanced at his paint splattered library and the two sorcerers also covered in blue and green.

"'Tis my fault." Teddy moved forward, his head down, like the ashamed puppy he had been turned into for a time, years ago. "I practiced a spell that ended up going wrong. Like normal." He admitted.

"But he said it correctly." Kathleen's defense perked Teddy up. " I know we should not have been fooling around when you were out, but I don't understand why it made such a mess." She rubbed a patch of green paint off her face in as dignified a manner as she could. Merlin set down the scrolls and patiently looked through the spell book.

"Here is your mistake. You did not have a wand." He closed the tome and faced Teddy and Kathleen. "Now I don't forbid you from practicing charms unsupervised like Morgan does, but I do expect that you know enough not to attempt spells that you know you are unable to preform." He smiled like the kind longsuffering mentor that he was. "I am going to work on these scrolls for a bit while the both of you clean my library. When you finish, I have a list of errands for you to run in town, so hurry before it gets dark." He fingered his long white beard, adjusted his spectacles, and headed into the adjoining study, noticeably stepping around puddles of paint.

When the door closed, Teddy smiled apologetically at Kathleen. "'Twas kind of you to defend me. But this is entirely my doing." He motioned to the paint streaked room. "You should not have to waste your time cleaning up. I will do it."

Kathleen shook her head. " You except me to sit here and watch? I did not realize you needed a wand either. I share in the blame as well, Balthazar." Her use of his real name meant that there was no point in arguing any further. Teddy hadn't gone by Balthazar since he had met Jack and Annie over three years ago. It had always sounded to him like "Balthazar" meant he should be taking a bath with a tsar or something of that sort, so he had been truly happy to receive a better nickname. Unfortunately, when he had told Kathleen his real name she had thought it was funny, so he hadn't succeeded in escaping it altogether.

Teddy grabbed a mop and began scrubbing the floor. Kathleen knelt beside him, offering company in her silence. She worked for Merlin for weeks at a time, in between visiting her own time period and her selkie family. Teddy had accompanied her home for almost half of her visits, so in a way her parents and sisters felt like his family too. Yet, not family enough to make Kathleen his sister. She was far too pretty for him to think of her that way. Teddy snuck a glance at his friend as she wiped paint off the table legs. In the past he had worked for Morgan, which had meant he didn't get to spend as much time with Kathleen. Over the past few months, however, with Morgan off doing other business, Teddy had been allowed to stay and train under Merlin. He was less stern than Morgan, and Teddy liked Merlin's library better as well. And then, of course, there was the benefit of being around Kathleen all day. She was smart and playful and gentle and beautiful and Teddy thought he was the luckiest guy in the world to have her as a best friend. He missed Jack and Annie,- it had been almost a year since he had seen them,- but he wouldn't trade his time with Kathleen for anyone.

Teddy finished scrubbing the floor and moved onto wiping off the covers of the library books. Kathleen was humming a selkie song on the other side of the room, and Teddy joined in on the chorus, purposely off key.

"You birdbrain!" She threw her towel at him, laughing, after several minutes of terrible singing. "My sisters all the way in Avalon can probably hear you, and they're all probably cringing in pain."

"You mean to say that I'm not theatre worthy?" Teddy put on a look of mock hurt, and Kathleen laughed even more.

Merlin opened his study door. " I'll say you best forfeit all dreams of professional singing, and head to town to do the shopping before 'tis too late." He surveyed the half-cleaned library. "You can finish this work later in the evening, after you get back, but as I said before, hurry. If my predictions are correct, there is a storm approaching, and I don't wish for the two of you to be caught in it."

Teddy and Kathleen put down the mops and towels as Merlin found his list of errands. He handed Teddy the money and the list, while Kathleen grabbed her coat, and opened the creaking door, letting in the blustery fall wind that lost no time in stirring the pages of the library books.

"Don't get into trouble!" Merlin called after them, as Teddy and Kathleen stepped outside.

"Trouble?" Teddy repeated to his fellow sorcerer-in-training as they started down the path that wound across the hill and into town. "I don't believe I have heard of such a thing."

Kathleen just laughed.


	2. Chapter 2

_**Hey, everyone! This is my first fanfiction, so**_ _I_ _ **hope you enjoy it! Feel free to review!**_ :)

Merlin had been right about the storm coming. As Teddy and Kathleen walked into the village, Kathleen had to constantly push her long hair out of her face because the wind whipped it in every direction.

"What do you say about heading towards the apothecary first?" Kathleen shouted over the wind. From what she could remember, it was at least warm in that building.

"A fine plan." Teddy replied, tightening his cloak. "Onwards!" He ran for the door and Kathleen followed, laughing at his favorite word. Once inside, Teddy went to talk to the clerk about the buying the clove oil that had been on Merlin's list. Kathleen wandered around the front of the shop where the apothecary had let a jeweler put up a stand. A ragged looking woman stood behind the small table, her dark hood obscuring her face. Kathleen decided to be friendly.

"Rather blustery out today." She commented, walking over to the table where the jewelry was displayed. "'Tis nice you don't have to sell your stuff outside. These bracelets are very pretty." Kathleen reached for a grey jewelled armband, to touch the tiny gems inlaid in the silvery material, but in a flash the merchant woman slapped Kathleen's hand out of the way.

"Don't touch that!" The woman glowered. Kathleen stepped back in shock, rubbing her hand. "Unless you want to buy it, no touching." Added the merchant, her features contorting in anger.

"Oy! What's going on?" Teddy walked over followed by the clerk that he had been talking to.

Kathleen looked back at the hostile jeweler, then decided to drop the issue. She didn't want the lady to get kicked out of the building and have to sell her goods outside, even if she was extremely rude.

"Nothing of importance. I was just looking at the jewelry." She pointed at a jade colored necklace causally. "'Tis very lovely, don't you agree?"

"Indeed." Said Teddy, frowning in suspicion.

Another woman walked into the shop, and the clerk went back to the desk. With another curious look, Teddy reluctantly followed him. Kathleen turned back to the jewelry merchant, half hoping for an apology, but she had disappeared.

In confusion, Kathleen turned around and was relieved to see that she hadn't actually vanished; she was just talking to the other lady that had entered the apothecary. There was something familiar about the second woman, though...Was she...?

"Morgan?" Kathleen said, her voice rising in disbelief. The lady immediately turned and her hood fell down enough for Kathleen to see that she had been right. The female sorcerer was indeed there, in the apothecary, talking to the weird jeweler lady.

"Kathleen! How pleasant to see you." Morgan started. There was a hint of annoyance in her voice, Kathleen noted; it was so slight she thought she might have imagined it, but then again, Kathleen had nineteen sisters. She trusted her intuition when it came to picking up hints that most people would overlook.

Teddy finished buying the clove oil, but he nearly dropped it when he saw Morgan. Kathleen's mind was still in overtime, trying to figure out why Morgan wasn't at her library.

"Teddy! 'Tis good to see you too." Morgan fixed her hood and the jeweler beside her slunk into the shadows. The wind continued to howl outside, creating ominous sound effects. "Well, I have some business to take care of." Morgan said after a moment of listening to the storm. "'Tis rather private business, though, so there is no need to mention to Merlin that I was here." She nodded politely at Teddy and Kathleen, then at the jeweler behind them. "Good day." Morgan backed out of the apothecary and disappeared into the street.

Kathleen looked at Teddy in confusion. His expression mirrored hers. "What in the name of Merlin's beard was that about?" He blurted. "We have not heard from her in months, and then..." He frowned and turned to the jeweler. "Do you know what is going on?"

She crossed her arms and smiled, showing a line of rotting teeth. "Unless you help me, I don't help you."

Teddy sighed. "What do you need help with?"

"Buy something." She instantly demanded. "I need money to live, no?"

Kathleen frowned, remembering the way the lady had slapped her hand. She didn't really want to give the lady anything, but they did need information, and the accessories were pretty...

Teddy turned to Kathleen. "What do you think? Do you want to know what Morgan's secret business was?"

Kathleen wasn't sure how to respond. She was curious, but she didn't want to pry either. And what if the merchant lied? There would be no way to tell. She ended up just shrugging, a habit she had picked up from Jack and Annie.

Teddy didn't hesitate long. "How much is that necklace that Kathleen pointed at earlier?" The lady told him a sum, and he dug in his pocket for his own money. "Is this the one you like?" He checked with Kathleen, motioning towards the necklace.

"I... You, er...You know you do not have to buy it for me." She insisted, feeling guilty that he was using up his money on her.

He grinned, a weird look coming into his eyes. "Who else would I buy it for?" She didn't answer and he gave the money to the jeweler. "Now...what do you know about Morgan?"

The lady flashed her disgusting smile and began in a low, mysterious voice. "Sorcerers are planning to take over the world." She cackled at them and Kathleen frowned at Teddy. There better be more to this story, she thought. Fortunately, the jeweler continued. "One of those dangerous wizards lives at the top of the hill, just outside of town. He's an old recluse they say; spends his time training other beasts to be like him."

Kathleen frowned again. "How do you know he is evil? What if he is a good wizard?" She assumed the lady was referring to Merlin, and she couldn't help but want to defend her mentor's reputation.

"Aye, there's the rub! What if he is good?" The jeweler parroted in a mocking tone. "Well, little girl, another sorcerer leaked the word about what side he's truly on, and it ain't the good side."

"What other sorcerer?" Teddy asked, leaning against the table.

The jeweler became distracted with Teddy's cloak touching a bracelet, and shoed him away. He walked over to Kathleen and repeated his question.

"No, no, I have already said too much!" The lady exclaimed, fanning the air as if warding away any more of their inquires.

"But that does not even begin to explain what Morgan was doing here on secret business." Kathleen said in frustration.

"No, no. I have work to do, leave me alone." The jeweler shook her head and began fiddling with the arrangements of her displayed items.

"Pardon me, but I bought something." Teddy reached for the necklace, and the jeweler suddenly screamed.

The apothecary clerk was there in an instant."What is going on?"

The merchant began talking in a frightened voice. "Please, clerk, help! These people are trying to rob me!"

"'Tis not true!" Kathleen argued. "She is striving to cheat us."

The clerk held up his hands. "Do you want me to toss all three of you out of here?" He turned to the jeweler. "If they bought something, give it to them, if not" he looked at the other two, "quit loitering and go home before the storm gets worse."

With reluctance and unbridled hatred, the jeweler handed Teddy the necklace.

"Thank you." Teddy said patiently. "We shall leave now." He put a hand on Kathleen's arm and they quietly left the shop, but not before Kathleen saw the creepy look of success in the jeweler's face.


	3. Chapter 3

The air blasted them so quickly that neither Teddy or Kathleen wasted time standing outside, but instead raced to the Tailor's shop. From there they found the bakery, and then caught the dairy farmer on his way home for the evening. By the time they finished all of Merlin's errands, it was growing dark and they decided to just head back home. They could talk about what had happened in the apothecary while they finished cleaning Merlin's library.

Teddy was holding a basket full of all their purchases, including the necklace he had bought for Kathleen. He only felt bad that the necklace had been bought with the ulterior goal of information, not just as a gift. After all, he remembered that Kathleen's birthday was coming up, and he hadn't gotten her anything. As they passed through a grove of trees, the wind was drowned out enough that they could carry on a conversation, and Teddy brought up the subject of her birthday, expecting it to be a nice distraction from everything else.

"So, you will be sixteen soon. Then we shall be the same age." Teddy smiled. "At least for a little while."

"Aye." To his surprise she sounded downright glum.

"Are you alright?" Teddy stopped and faced her. Kathleen wasn't normally a gloomy person. Even in the middle of danger she stayed positive. So why didn't she want her birthday to come? Or was she just concerned about Morgan?

"Yes, I am fine." She looked at Teddy, then down at the ground, then she sighed. "I just do not wish to get any older." Kathleen continued to stare at the ground. "Did you know that Kali is betrothed?"

"Kali?" Teddy knew Kathleen's closest sister from the many visits he had made with Kathleen. "But she is only ten months older than you! Why, that leaves you-"

"As the only daughter in the family not engaged or married." Kathleen finished. "'Tis nothing wrong with that, but my mother did hint that she was going to start looking for a match for me. Apparently, 'tis an ancient selkie tradition to marry young."

Teddy felt his jaw tighten. "But what about your training here, with Merlin?" And me, Teddy had almost added. He thought better of it though and closed his mouth.

"I have no idea." Kathleen said. "I do not want to end up married to anyone in Avalon, because I want to keep learning, here, in this time period." She looked at Teddy with another sigh. "'Tis not that I am against my mother, or against marriage. In fact I want to get married- someday. But not now."

Teddy nodded and tried to reassure her, even though he was internally panicking. If Kathleen was married off to some old fisherman in Avalon...?

"Anyway, my mother wants to talk to me about something when I come home for my birthday. 'Tis why I am not excited," finished Kathleen.

"Well, I would not be very excited either," said Teddy. He didn't know what else to say after that, so they walked in silence until the wind whipped up again, -this time mixed with rain.

They headed up the hill faster; drenched in a matter of seconds. Every step seemed to get harder and harder, though, and Teddy heard himself panting much louder than normal. I need to exercise more often, he told himself. The climb up the hill was making him dizzy. Kathleen slipped in the mud beside him, and he sank to his knees, gasping, while she righted herself and kept going. Teddy couldn't seem to get back to his feet though. Something was wrong with him and it wasn't just a lack of exercise.

Kathleen apparently noticed he wasn't following her and she came back to his side wondering what was wrong.

Teddy's heart was racing at an dangerous rate, making him tremble violently. Was he sick? Had he eaten something poisoned? Teddy tried to think through the past few hours, while Kathleen was shouting at him, her voice sounding far away.

Teddy knew there was no way he had the strength to make it to the top of the hill. He tried to tell Kathleen so, but he couldn't hear his own voice. Everything kept getting darker and the rain seemed to fall faster, each drop stinging against his face.

"We need to get to shelter!" Teddy heard Kathleen's shout as a faint whisper. He strove to nod his head, but he couldn't figure out how to do that. He couldn't focus at all.

Somehow he interpreted the feeling of pressure on his shoulders as Kathleen trying to move him, but Teddy wasn't entirely sure whether or not that was actually happening. Everything was running together, blurring, going dark.

Teddy lost consciousness.


	4. Chapter 4

Kathleen could practically hear her mother warning her never to take refuge under a tree in a storm. The rain made the ground extra slippery, however, and Teddy was too heavy to drag uphill without causing her to slid back down. Her only option was to get him out of the open, and back into the grove of trees where they had been more sheltered from the wind and rain.

Kathleen was shaking from the cold and from the fear and from the exertion of dragging her friend's limp body, so when she finished moving Teddy under a deciduous tree, she collapsed in the mud, her tears mixing with the rain.

She had no idea what had happened. One moment they had been walking up the hill together, the next, Teddy had collapsed and passed out. Kathleen didn't know what was wrong, or what she needed to due. She figured Merlin could help, but she didn't want to leave Teddy. What if he was dying? Kathleen wiped her eyes, but just got more water and mud on her face.

Teddy was still breathing, but he was pale and motionless. Kathleen put a hand on his forehead, brushing away the strands of hair that were flattened to his head by the rain. He didn't have a fever. Was he sick? She managed to get to her feet, nearly tripping on the skirt of her dress which was laden with mud. Once standing, she saw something shiny in the brush and carefully picked her way over to it, curiosity distracting her from despair for the moment.

It was the basket of items they had bought for Merlin. Water and dirt had probably ruined half of them, Kathleen supposed, but she picked up the basket anyway and found what had caught her attention. The jade colored necklace glistened even from under the mud. Looking at it reminded her of Teddy, though, and she quickly headed back to her friend's side, panic resuming.

What if he wasn't just sick? Kathleen counted her breaths to remind herself to breathe. She glanced at the basket again, and frowned at the necklace. The jeweler had acted very suspicious, and Teddy had been the only one to touch the item. What if it had been cursed? Kathleen turned the basket upside down spilling it's contents, and prodded the necklace with the toe of her shoe. Nothing remarkable happened, so she sat back down beside Teddy, pushing her wet, stringy hair away from her face.

The rain continued in torrents and Kathleen propped Teddy up against a tree so he wouldn't choke on the falling water. Minutes passed and Kathleen was still torn between going for help or staying with Teddy. Just when she had finally made up her mind to go find Merlin, Teddy began to stir.

Kathleen sat upright and began gently shaking her fellow sorcerer-in-training. "Teddy, are you alright? Can you hear me?"

He groaned and rubbed his forehead, then nodded.

Kathleen was so relieved she felt she could have cried. She did her best to stay calm though as she asked again if Teddy was alright.

"Yes...I think." He continued to rub his forehead. "What happened?"

Kathleen shook her head. "'Tis what I was wondering. Oh, I am so glad you're not..." Despite her efforts, her voice broke and she moved forward hugging him tightly for a long moment.

"We are very wet." Teddy stated, his voice muffled as spoke into her hair. "We should head back to Merlin and then find out what happened once we are dry."

Kathleen pulled away, nodding and backhanding her eyes. "We have a lot to discuss." She looked again at the necklace, and warned Teddy not to touch it, just to be safe. "'Tis something going on here that we're missing, and that jeweler had something to do with it."

He used a stick to put the necklace back in the basket, and they started up the hill again, braving the rain. Kathleen kept stopping to check on Teddy, but he seemed completely fine now. The wind was cold and they raced up the path until they got to Merlin's house. Kathleen yanked open the library door and they both collapsed inside, knowing they'd have to clean up the mud that had been tracked in, but not really caring.

Merlin rushed into the library, looking concerned.

"I thought you had stayed in the village. That was quite a storm and you look..." He faded off surveying their muddy and drenched appearances. "Are the both of you alright?"

Kathleen looked at Teddy and they launched into the story, mentioning the jeweler and the necklace, but leaving out the part about Morgan. Maybe she had a good reason for not including Merlin in whatever it was that she was doing.

Merlin had summoned towels and listened intently while they dried off.

"And you feel fine now?" He asked Teddy when they finished talking.

"Yes, sir." Teddy replied. "Just as good as ever."

"May I see this necklace?"

Kathleen handed him the basket, apologizing for the dirty state of the other items they bought. Merlin used a wand to levitate the necklace onto his desk. "I shall look into this matter. In the meantime, I suggest the two of you get something hot for dinner and go to bed early. My library can wait 'till tomorrow to be cleaned."

"Thank you." Kathleen said as they left the library. She grabbed a couple bowls from a shelf in the kitchen and filled then with soup. Teddy poured cups of hot water for them to drink and they sat down at the table, curious what Merlin was doing in the library.

Halfway through a silent dinner, Teddy abruptly thanked Kathleen.

"I still have no clue what really happened, but you probably saved my life today." He pushed his soup bowl away and stared at Kathleen so intently she started blushing.

"I didn't do anything to help you, actually." Kathleen admitted, looking down at her food. "You woke up on your own." She moved her head up to meet Teddy's gaze. "I'm so glad you did. I didn't know what to do and I was so scared..." She let her words die off, knowing that she might start crying again if she kept talking.

Teddy seemed to understand her situation and silently took her hand across the table.

The kind gesture just made Kathleen all the more emotional however, and the next thing she knew she was outright sobbing. It was embarrassing. She wasn't normally a girl who cried over everything,- she couldn't even remember when she had last wept, other than earlier that day, but now...it was as if someone had actually died.

Stop it, silly, he's fine. She scolded herself. It didn't help matters though, that Teddy had now walked around to her side of the table and was holding her as she sobbed.

A couple minutes later she got a grip on herself enough to speak, and quickly apologized to Teddy. He didn't seem phased by her cry fest.

"Kathleen, 'tis fine, honestly." He pushed her hair out of her face for her and smiled. "You have nothing to be ashamed of. Why, you're braver than I am. I would still be,-how do Jack and Annie say it?- freaking out?"

"Well, you're a good friend anyways." Kathleen sniffed, leaning her head on his shoulder.

Teddy stiffened, but then hugged her tighter.

Merlin walked in then.

Kathleen jerked away from Teddy, though not entirely sure why. Merlin knew they were close friends, and a hug was no big deal, but for some reason she was blushing.

Merlin stared at them both then cleared his throat.

"I have found that the necklace was indeed, cursed."

Teddy and Kathleen exchanged glances while Merlin continued.

"Tis a powerful enchantment know only by powerful sorcerers, like Morgan and myself." Merlin stroked his beard. "Perhaps there is another dark wizard passing through the area." As he looked deep in thought, Teddy whispered to Kathleen:

"That might explain Morgan's secret business. What if she is tracking down the person who cursed the jewelry?"

Kathleen didn't have time to respond because Merlin continued talking.

"I shall keep working on the necklace to see if it is possible to determine who cursed it, and if there is any hope of undoing the spell. Though, I should truly like to go to town tomorrow and talk to the jeweler."

"May we come too?" Teddy asked. "After we clean up your library, of course."

"Indeed, I should like you both to come as my witnesses. Which means you should both finish your dinner and get ready for bed." Merlin adjusted his spectacles and bid them goodnight before leaving the room.

Kathleen wasn't very hungry, but she quickly ate the rest of her food while Teddy continued to speculate, in a whisper, about why Morgan had been so secretive.

"Maybe she is in love with a dark wizard and she is trying to cover up for him." Teddy said, after already proposing several equally weird ideas.

Kathleen giggled into her napkin.

"Go to bed, you lunatic." She laughed. "We shall find out tomorrow."

"Indeed, and I shall be right." Teddy said back, smiling. He left the room, while Kathleen was laughing, and she heard his bedroom door close from down the hall. It was not until she was putting her dishes away, several minutes later, that she realized, for reasons unbeknownst to her, that she was still smiling.


	5. Chapter 5

Teddy was up early the following morning with the hope to get the library cleaned as quickly as possible. When Kathleen joined him, however, it got done even faster than he had expected, even with their constant joking and occasional singing. By midmorning, they were both ready to accompany Merlin into town, so they stood by the library door waiting for their mentor.

"What should we do if someone in town mentions Morgan?" Kathleen asked Teddy, looking fidgety. He adjusted his cloak and frowned. "If that is the case, I suggest we simply tell Merlin the truth and explain what we already know, but I honestly don't think it shall be a problem." He reminded Kathleen of how quickly Morgan had left and confessed that even he had barely recognized her in her heavy cloak. "Not many people in this village know Morgan anyway."

Merlin walked into the library then, and Teddy stopped talking so quickly that Merlin gave him a suspicious look. "The library looks quite nice." The bearded wizard commented, after a moment of everyone simply staring at one another. "Are the both of you ready to go?"

When they both nodded, Merlin smiled. "Well then, to quote Teddy here, 'Onward!'"

Teddy laughed and they started down the hill, he and Kathleen trailing behind their mentor.

The ground was damp and muddy, but all other signs of the storm seemed to have vanished. The air was crisp and smelt like fresh rain and woodsmoke. It was a lovely day. Teddy noticed that Kathleen kept glancing at him as they walked down the hill, and he supposed she was still a bit worried over his well-being. He felt as good as new though.

They finally reached the apothecary and headed inside, away from all the curious eyes of the villagers. Merlin was a mystery to them, and Teddy felt self-conscious with all the stares they were drawing. The moment they stepped inside the apothecary however, Teddy noticed something was different. Kathleen said it first:

"The jeweler! She's gone!"

Teddy scanned the room, and didn't see a single table set up or anything to do with jewelry.

The apothecary clerk appeared, looking anxious. As the trio headed towards him, and fiddled with his apron, looking anywhere but at Merlin.

"Good-day, Sir." Teddy's mentor started. " We were wondering if perchance we could be told the whereabouts of the jeweler you hosted last evening." Merlin spoke calmly and politely, but the apothecary clerk frowned and started shaking his head.

"I have no clue what you are talking about. We run an apothecary here. Why would a jeweler be allowed in this building?" He shook his head as if Merlin was crazy.

Teddy nearly blanched. "Um, sir, you were here! 'Twas a storm, and you let her come inside. She started yelling at Kathleen, you came over to break up the conflict, surely you haven't forgotten!"

The clerk continued to fidget with his apron strings. "You must be mad. I never let a jeweler into this shop. Now, if you don't wish to buy anything, I'll have to request that you leave." He nodded curtly and went back behind the counter.

Teddy and Kathleen gaped at one another, while Merlin stroked his beard. The three left the apothecary a moment later and stood outside the store, watching the people bustle about in the street.

"So what now?" Teddy shoved his hands in his pockets, frustrated. "We saw the jeweler, we're not crazy, so something has to be going on here."

"Indeed." Merlin glanced around at some of the other shops along the road. "We'll ask around for a bit." He looked at his apprentices. "You two question the shopkeepers on the North street. I'll go along this lane and we'll rendezvous later, shall we?" Merlin waited for Teddy and Kathleen to nod, then he walked off in the direction of the grocer's stand.

Teddy stared at Kathleen for a moment, then they turned in the opposite direction.

"What do you think is going on? Did the jeweler curse the clerk into forgetting." Teddy whispered to Kathleen. She shrugged then shook her head, "He was acting very suspicious. I'm sure he remembered us. I think it was rather that he was threatened not to mention the jeweler."

"Aye. That would make sense." Teddy held the door to the Tailor's shop open for Kathleen and they walked inside.

The Tailor's wife, a rather chubby old lady who always seemed to be up to date on gossip, greeted them cheerfully. "Back so soon?"

Kathleen smiled pleasantly. "We're actually wondering if you've seen a jeweler around these parts."

The tailor's wife spread her arms happily. "My congratulations to the both of you! There's always been speculation over whether you two oddballs, I mean, well I didn't mean that, but oh I do love a good betrothal. Of course we don't have a jeweler in the village, but I'm glad you came to me. I can take sizes for a dress, oh honey, you'll be so lovely-"

"I beg your pardon, but we're not betrothed." Kathleen interrupted, her face bright pink. Teddy was torn between laughing and covering his face- he knew he was blushing too.

"Not betrothed? Well, did you already get married then? You're both a bit young I'd say, but suit yourselves..."

Teddy held up a hand before she could make any further assumptions. As it was, his face already matched the color of his hair. "We're not married or betrothed."

"We're just friends." Kathleen added.

Teddy stared at the ground, suddenly not liking the sound of her statement.

"We're not looking for rings, we're looking for a jeweler who might have been a criminal." Kathleen clarified.

The tailor's wife sighed, then perked up again. "A criminal you say?" She rubbed her hands together. "Tell me all the details."

Needless to say, they didn't.

The tailor's wife didn't remember seeing the jeweler they were looking for and even when she called for her husband, he wasn't much help either.

"Quite sorry, but we don't leave the shop when the weather is bad."

Teddy and Kathleen thanked the couple for their time and moved onto the next store. Then the next. No one seemed to know anything about the jeweler.

Finally they met back up with Merlin.

"Any luck?" Teddy asked hopefully as they approached. Merlin looked pensive and didn't respond for a moment. Then, after some suspense, he said that he hadn't found anyone who had so much as seen the jeweler from a distance.

"Many seemed frightened, however." Merlin commented. "I think our elusive friend has been threatening more than just a few."

The trio began walking back towards the house when Merlin suddenly stopped. "I believe I shall take a trip to visit Morgan and see what she knows about these happenings."

"A trip, Sir? Right now?" Teddy said. Kathleen caught his eye nervously.

"Yes. Well, as soon as we get back to the house that is. For all I know, danger could be coming if I wait any longer. I assume you two shall be fine on your own?"

"Of course, Sir." Kathleen responded. "'Tis our worry for you that is concerning us."

"Nonsense. An old man like me should know how to take care of myself." Merlin's eyes twinkled with his classic smile. "No practicing charms while I'm gone." He looked at Teddy, who quickly agreed to leave the spell book alone.

"Good." Merlin smiled but Teddy couldn't help but notice how the old wizard seemed to be hiding anxiousness underneath his grinning exterior.

They got back to the house and Merlin grabbed a few scrolls and said another few words of goodbye. Then, with a flick of his wand and a swish of his cape, he disappeared, leaving Teddy and Kathleen alone with a dark wizard on the prowl.


	6. Chapter 6

Kathleen sat in the library chair finishing skimming through a stack of books. Teddy sat cross-legged on the ground a few feet away, also searching through Merlin's books for anything that could prove useful in their investigation.

"What happens when Merlin realizes Morgan isn't home?" Kathleen had asked Teddy earlier that afternoon. He hadn't known, but if Merlin had planned on returning upon not finding his compatriot at home, he had to have been sorely delayed, Kathleen thought. He'd been gone hours.

She and Teddy had already eaten dinner and discussed everything that had happened since the encounter with the jeweler. Morgan just didn't seem to fit into it very well. Kathleen was anxious for Merlin to return with answers.

"This book talks about effects of curses," Teddy spoke up from his spot on the floor. "I wonder if Merlin will be able to disenchant that necklace if the curse on it was long lasting like these curses apparently are." He pointed to the book, frowning. "Huh, 'tis a curse that sounds similar to the one on the necklace, except it says the effects will steadily worsen over a period of a couple days."

Kathleen frowned too. "Your symptoms only lasted two quarters of an hour, though."

"Thankfully." Teddy laughed it off, and shook his head at Kathleen's worried look. "Do I look like a spector to you? I'm fine, really."

"If you even start to feel ill, tell me immedia-"

"Kathleen, really."

"Promise me that you'll tell me."

"Kathleen."

"Balthazar." She gave him the sternest look she could muster and he relented, laughing some more.

"I promise."

"Good." Kathleen went back to her stack of books, though her mind stayed on her friend's health for a while longer. It was dark outside and within another half an hour the words on the pages seemed to blend together. Merlin still wasn't back.

Kathleen stood up and starting pacing the library. Teddy watched her for a moment, then put his books aside, shaking his head.

"Go to bed, Kathleen. You're making me nervous."

She was exhausted, but she didn't want to miss Merlin's information if he came back. Teddy finally convinced her to at least sit down, though, and Kathleen sank onto the ground beside him and unbraided her hair.

"What happens if Merlin is not back by tomorrow?" Kathleen asked after a moment. "Should we go after him?"

"He shall be back. Don't worry." Teddy awkwardly patted her back, then jumped to his feet as someone knocked on the door.

"See, no reason to worry. He's back now." Kathleen got to her feet, smoothing her skirt while Teddy opened the door.

Kathleen screamed. It certainly wasn't Merlin.

Teddy slammed the door closed, then opened it again to see exactly who was standing outside.

Kathleen peered over his shoulders to see that it was a familiar looking lady in a dark cloak. The jeweler!

"What are you doing here?" Teddy asked. "Where's Merlin?"

The jeweler didn't say anything, she just shoved her way inside, holding a finger to her lips. Kathleen could only step out of her way, curiosity rivaling her fear.

"I shall ask you again," Teddy said, stepping in front of Kathleen, blocking the jeweler's pathway to the rest of the house. "What are you doing?"

"Covering my tracks." She whispered, even though there was no need to be quiet. Before Kathleen could even get a word out the jeweler had stabbed a long needle like object into Teddy's arm, and he staggered to the side gasping. Kathleen jumped out of the way, not wanting to get stabbed as well, while the jeweler began throwing Merlin's books off the shelves, apparently searching for something.

Kathleen was panting as bad as Teddy, but she tried to ignore the lunatic jeweler in the background and instead focus on her friend. He was sitting up, obviously trying not to cry from the pain as he yanked the needle back out of his arm. It was so long, Kathleen wondered if it had gone all the way to his bone.

"Ha!" The jeweler suddenly screeched.

Kathleen looked to see that the cloaked woman had found the necklace and was holding it with a cloth, gingerly, as if it might bite.

"Stop, 'tis Kathleen's." Teddy said groggily, glaring at the jeweler. He looked rather out of it though, his eyes starting to gloss over. Kathleen was shaking as she watched the jeweler, half expecting to be stabbed with a weird, tranquilizing needle at any moment. To her relief, however, the woman seemed completely absorbed with the necklace and she left a few seconds later without a second glance in their direction.

"Teddy!" Kathleen shook her friend, who had gone back to lying on the library ground in pain.

"Tis not morning. I'm sleeping." He muttered, squeezing his eyes closed.

"Balthazar, stop it!" Kathleen commanded, continuing to slap him with the hope that he could snap out of whatever the jeweler had stabbed him with.

"Kathleen? 'Tis you? Good." Teddy mumbled, "Top of the morning, love."

Kathleen blinked a couple times and dashed to the kitchen to get water from the pump. She poured the cup on Teddy's head and he sat up sputtering.

"Blimey, Kathleen, what was that for?" He rubbed his eyes looking confused, then sank back down on the floor. Within seconds, he was soundly asleep. If Kathleen had thought she was confused before, she was completely lost now. Could things get any stranger? And Merlin still wasn't back...

Kathleen listened to Teddy's snores for a few minutes to ensure that he was indeed asleep and not actually dead, then she dragged the kitchen table in front of the library door. She was not in the mood for more frightening visitors tonight. Once safely barricaded inside, she went to her room to fetch a stack of blankets, and to the kitchen to get soap and bandages, then she returned to the library. Carefully picking up the needle with the corner of a bandage she set it aside for Merlin to look at when he returned, -which would hopefully be soon- and then she cleaned and wrapped Teddy's arm, glad that he was soundly sleeping and not having to experience the burning pain of the disinfectant.

Why had the jeweler returned for the necklace? She had been reluctant to give it to them in the first place, but why go through all the trouble of attacking them to get it back?

Kathleen finished wrapping Teddy's arm and covered his still form with one of the blankets. Taking a blanket of her own, Kathleen crossed the library and moved a stack of books aside so that she could lie down.

'Tis as good a night as any for a slumber party, Kathleen told herself as she rolled onto her side, watching both Teddy and the barricaded library door.

Hopefully Merlin will be back in the morning. Kathleen thought as she finally closed her drooping eyelids. Then he shall straighten everything out...


	7. Chapter 7

Teddy woke up feeling terrible. His arm was in a bandage, he was lying on the library floor, and his head throbbed as if he had a hangover. He noticed Kathleen sleeping on the opposite side of the room, so he got up quietly, not wanting to wake her.

What had happened? He wondered as he looked at the mud on the floor that the jeweler had tracked in and the scattered papers and scrolls she had rifled through.

"Teddy?" Kathleen was sitting up, rubbing at the corners of her bleary eyes. "Are you alright?"

He turned so he could see her better and smiled gently. "Aye. Thanks to you." There was no point in mentioning his pain, - she had enough to worry about as it was.

"Ughh. What an experience!" Kathleen exclaimed as she stood up. Her long black hair was frizzy and disheveled, like she had tossed and turned all night.

Teddy thought she looked beautiful nonetheless.

"Aye." He cleared his throat. "What took place, exactly, after she threw that needle at my arm?"

Kathleen recounted the evening's events while she folded the blanket she had been sleeping on. "She must have needed the necklace desperately. She didn't want to give it to us in the first place, but to come back to steal it?" Kathleen shook her head and Teddy could tell that she'd been pondering the issue for quite some time. "The jeweler may be malignant, but I don't think she works alone. Someone probably scared her somehow, and that necklace is her defense."

"'Tis a possibility." Teddy rubbed the back of his neck. "I wonder if Merlin will be back today with more information." He picked up a book and set it back on the shelf where it belonged.

It seemed like everything was waiting on Merlin. Teddy just hoped that the old wizard would indeed return, that he wasn't hurt...or worse.

"I am going to go change clothes." Kathleen announced. "We'll make breakfast after that."

Teddy nodded and headed towards his own room, anxious to take the bandage off his arm. As he unwound the cloth, though, it gave off a sickly scent that seemed to puncture his stomach. He sank onto his bed, nauseated and dizzy. The room began to blur as he was hit with wave after wave of fatigue. Not again, he thought to himself, moments before he blacked out.

He didn't awaken until mid afternoon. Teddy sat up slowly, ignoring the throbbing in his head, and looking around the room. Kathleen was sitting at the foot of his bed, reading, but she threw down her book the moment he stirred.

He expected her to be relieved and even joyful, but to his surprise she shot him an irritated look.

"You said you were feeling fine! You left me to worry about you, to try to do everything myself,-why didn't you shout or...or something." Kathleen's voice was strained and Teddy noticed that she was trembling. "Every time this happens, I fear that it is the last time, that you won't wake up." She cupped her head in her hands and Teddy was, for once, wordless.

A long silent minute passed and then Kathleen stood up abruptly. "Put on some clean clothes and meet me in the kitchen. I have a plan."

Without any further explanation, she threw his garments at him and stomped out of the room.

Teddy didn't dare disobey, so he dressed quickly and headed down the hallway. He had noticed that his arm had been cleaned; the puncture now small and inconspicuous. He thanked Kathleen the moment he walked into the kitchen.

"No problem." She said, teeth clenched. Teddy grabbed a chunk of bread and nibbled at it while Kathleen launched into her "plan."

"Since Merlin's still not back, we'll have to solve this ourselves. The jeweler is obviously back in town, so we start by looking for her again. We still don't know how Morgan fits into this, but of course we'll look for her too." Kathleen set a hand down on the counter, clearly determined.

"So, basically, we do the same routine we went through yesterday?" Teddy tried to keep the skepticism out of his voice.

Kathleen didn't meet his eyes. "Aye. We have to."

"Why?" Teddy didn't like the mysterious tone she used. It unnerved him; she was hiding something. When she ignored his question, he calmly repeated himself. Something was definitely wrong; it wasn't like Kathleen to act in such a way.

Finally her head snapped up and she smacked the counter with her palm in frustration. "We have to find someone who can help us, and we have to do it soon because,.." Her voice wobbled and she leaned against the counter for support. "Because if we don't find a cure, you will die."

Teddy's heart skipped a beat and Kathleen stared at the wooden groves in the table like they were the most interesting things in the world. "I analyzed that substance on the needle the jeweler used. I looked it up in some of Merlin's books this afternoon." Kathleen took another deep breath. '"Tis poison meant to enhance the effects of the necklace's curse. It will keep getting worse until..."

She stopped talking but Teddy knew what she had meant to say.

He bit his lip and tried not to think about what dying would feel like. Kathleen composed herself and put a hand on his shoulder, her voice much softer than it had been earlier. "Come on. You mustn't despair. We can find a cure. We'll hurry."

Teddy nodded. He really wasn't despairing, as Kathleen had thought; he was mainly just in shock. It wasn't everyday that his best friend told him he was dying.

The selkie sorceress moved about Merlin's house, gathering food and writing a note for their mentor in case he returned while they were out. Teddy decided that he had better make himself useful as well, so he quickly grabbed their cloaks and finished tidying the library.

As they left the house and started down the all too familiar path to the village, the sun began to dim, enveloping the landscape in shadows. Teddy was suddenly hit with the realization that his time was fading too, and he began to walk faster. He turned to Kathleen and put on a fake smile, saying the only thing that came to mind.

"Onwards!"


	8. Chapter 8

Once they were in the village, Kathleen lost no time. She and Teddy rushed to question every person they saw along the street- the blacksmith's son, a friend of the butcher's, a drunk from the tavern- on whether or not they had seem either Morgan or the jeweler. Evidently (and unfortunately), both women had failed to leave a lasting impact of any sort.

"This is not getting us anywhere!" Kathleen tightened her shawl, and twisted the ends of it, trying to keep Teddy from noticing her trembling hands. He did, however, and just shook his head, sighing.

"Kathleen, we've still got time. I shall be fine." He put a hand on her shoulder and gave a tight smile. He didn't look fine, she thought. She probably didn't look fine either, though. Her best friend was dying right in front of her and she was just proud of herself for not hyperventilating.

She saw an old man walk around the corner, and she ran up to him to distract her mind from despair. "Excuse me, good sir, but have you seen a jeweler,-a woman in a black cloak- around this area? She might have been acting suspiciously?" Kathleen continued too twist her shawl while the elderly man scratched his head.

"I don't come from this town, lassie, so I may not be much help...Though," he paused and Kathleen's heart jumped with the new possibility. "I did catch sight of a shifty beggar woman in a black cloak a little ways back in the woods." He turned to point and Kathleen and Teddy both heartily thanked the man, before practically sprinting in the direction he had shown them.

They had just entered the woods when Teddy stopped abruptly. Kathleen froze as well, fearing the worst. "Are you-"

"Kathleen. I -"

She bit her lip and let him speak, knowing he was most likely getting tired of being asked if he was okay.

"Kathleen." Teddy repeated, clearing his throat. "If this woman 'tis not where the man said she would be, I, I don't wish for you to get your hopes up, only to have them fall." Teddy looked paler than he had earlier that day, Kathleen noted. He was most certainly getting worse, so why was he wasting time to talk?

"I, I want you to know that I'm not scared. I mean, I am scared, but not so terrified that I would do anything to stay alive. If...if we can't find the jeweler, or Morgan or Merlin, let's just go back home, so that you know-" he waved at the air, apparently hoping she would understand what he had left unsaid. "I want to enjoy my last hours, with you, in peace, not running all over the village like panicked chickens with their heads already cut off."

"Not giving up doesn't make you a chicken, Teddy." Said Kathleen almost desperately. If he gave up, then she would have to give up to and she couldn't bring herself to do that. She opened her mouth to protest, but then thought better of it. It would not do them any good to stand and argue about the situation, they needed to get a move on,- they could discuss Teddy's wishes later. Preferably when Teddy was healed.

And so, she sighed, nodded, and grabbed Teddy's hand, yanking him farther into the woods. It was cool in the shade,and gloomy looking, surrounded by trees that were obviously dying. Like Teddy, Kathleen tried to stop herself from thinking. They had gone several minutes along the trail, when Kathleen finally glimpsed a tent set up among the dead brush.

"Hopefully 'tis the jeweler," she whispered under her breath to her friend.

"Quick! Let us talk to her before she runs off again," said Teddy rushing forward.

"Just be careful! She has weapons, remember?" Kathleen called softly, running by his side.

The moment they reached the tent, they both recognized the occupant. It was, indeed, the jeweler.

"Halt!" Teddy shouted, as the woman darted to her feet, appearing frightened. "We just want to speak with you."

"Let me guess. You want a cure?" She laughed aloud, the sound sending hopeless chills down Kathleen's back.

"Yes, though I would also like to know why you are doing this to us? What have Kathleen and I ever done to you?"

"You work for Merlin, that's what!" The woman practically shrieked, straightening to her full height (which was only a few inches taller than Kathleen). "I carry out my orders, and in thus case, I did! I figured you worked for him, so I gave you the necklace, hoping you would all become cursed. I then stole back my greatest asset when I found it had only cursed one of you, and now I'm so sick of both of you, I shall finish you both off, here!"

The jeweler reached into her cloak and pulled out another couple of poisoned needles. Teddy and Kathleen both acted instinctively, rushing forward to stop her from throwing them. The moment they collided with the jeweler, she dropped the needles and the weapons rolled under a bush nearby, out of range of the woman's reach.

"Who are you working for? Who told you Merlin was evil? Who told you to get rid of us all?" Kathleen demanded while Teddy held the woman's arms down. The jeweler just smiled cruelly and Kathleen had to take a deep breath to keep from throttling her.

"How about you start from the beginning? Explain everything." Teddy ordered calmly. "Then we shall let you go and get on with your sorry life."

"Fine." The jeweler said, a malicious glint in her eyes. Teddy allowed her to sit up, and she smoothed her ragged skirt for a long moment before beginning.

"I was offered a good deal of revenue, in exchange for my services as a jeweler who also happened to be a poison expert." She stared at Kathleen out of the corner of her eyes. "I don't say no to money, so I went into town to scout out Merlin and had the happy fortune of meeting the two of you. I gave you the cursed necklace, courtesy of my employer, once I picked up on your loyalties to that old wizard. Unfortunately, my aforementioned employer lives in a world of secrets, so I had to bribe and threaten many townspeople to keep quiet about my presence. Once you figured out you were cursed, I couldn't have Merlin himself coming into town to interrogate me." She smiled again, displaying her rotten teeth. Kathleen was glad that the lady seemed to be cooperating, but she was worried that the jeweler was now just wasting time, - while Teddy was wasting away.

"So who is your employer?" asked Teddy. "Why does he, or she, hate Merlin?"

"Merlin scorned my employer. He didn't value a certain idea, claimed it was too foolhardy, too dangerous, too powerful and too cruel. My employer knew better, however, and broke league with your mentor."

"You only answered half the question. Who is trying to kill us?"

" I cannot tell the name of my employer, though you should also know that I hate having my work interrupted. I am trying to kill you, too."

Without warning, she reached into a pocket in the folds of her dress and withdrew a vial of clear liquid. In the next instant, she had cracked the glass against Teddy's forehead and the liquid spilt down his face. He jumped back and she took off running. Kathleen didn't even think about chasing her. Her immediate concern was Teddy, who had poison streaming down his face.

"Here, Teddy, get it off!" Kathleen yelled, nearly throwing him her shawl. "Don't open your mouth! Or eyes!"

He obeyed, rapidly scrubbing the liquid off his skin until his cheeks were pink. Kathleen knelt beside her friend, pleading with herself not to cry. How much more stress could she take?

"Before you ask, I am fine." Teddy said after a long minute. "Frankly, I am not even certain that was poison. It might have just been water, meant to throw us off guard."

Kathleen walked over to the bush with the poison needles under it and frowned at the tips of them. They had a greenish tinge; different than the clear substance that had been in the vial.

"You might be right about it being water, but that doesn't really mean anything. You still have the other poison inside of you, and she didn't give us a cure."

"Kathleen, she may have escaped, but she left her supplies and her tent all right here. Don't fret."

The young sorceress gasped. "I wonder if the cure is with her supplies!" Kathleen raced over to the tent and pulled back the flap, revealing a pile of blankets, a bag of food, and several unidentifiable sacks. "Teddy, come help me look."

"I...I'm not sure 'tis a good idea." He responded, still sitting on the dirt ground. "My head is swimming frightfully. I cannot even see straight." He put a hand to his forehead, and then before Kathleen could think of anything to suggest, he slumped over, unconscious.

"Teddy!" She ran to check her friend's pulse and breathed a sigh of relief. He wasn't dead. She still had time left. Kathleen ducked back into the tent, heart pumping furiously, and began rummaging through the sacks of the jeweler's possessions. She could still save him. She had to.


	9. Chapter 9

Teddy felt like he was in a daze between slumber and reality. He had his eyes closed and was far too tired to open them, but he could still hear Kathleen moving about, frantically talking to herself. Couldn't she be a little quieter, Teddy thought groggily. He was trying to sleep! He heard himself mumbling for her to keep it down, but she didn't respond. Where was he anyway? He certainly wasn't in bed, - whatever he was lying on was very uncomfortable...

"Kathleen," he muttered, still feeling half-asleep. "Am I in the mountains? My bed feels like rocks." His words blended together, making his complaint inaudible. Kathleen apparently hadn't heard him, for she continued doing - whatever it was that she was doing - unaffected. Teddy tried again. "Kathleen? Selkie girl? Friend? Can you hear me?" Even to his own ears, however, the words came out jumbled, sounding more like, "Teen- grr- fiend- woo- ear- mi?"

Teddy decided something had to have been wrong with him. From what he could remember, he was fairly certain he didn't normally talk like that.

He focused on propping himself up and trying to open his eyes. He was so tired, but something in his gut seemed off, almost like he had a feeling that it would be somehow fatal if he couldn't fight off his drugged state. And so, Teddy concentrated on trying to stay alert. He heard Kathleen moving around the jeweler's tent, the swiss of her dress against the grass and weeds underfoot.

She must be working on something to help me, he thought. At least, he hoped that was what she was doing. Very slowly, he rolled to his side and used both his arms to get to a halfway-sitting position. He figured he'd be less likely to fall asleep seated like that.

"Kathleen?" He tried calling again. His voice was barely louder than a whisper, but it sounder clearer than it had a moment ago. Maybe he could still fight against whatever was wrong with him. Maybe he still had a chance.

The young sorceress suddenly crouched down beside him and Teddy found himself staring into Kathleen's big green eyes. "Well, I found something, but I have no idea whether it shall work as a cure or not." She held up small vial. "Can you even hear me, Teddy?"

"Yes," he responded, though apparently the word was only spoken in his head, not out loud. She took a shaky breath, and nodded, evidently convinced he was in his last moments. "If there 'tis any way you can understand me, know that I hope with everything in me that this," she stared at the vial again, "'tis a cure." A sob caught in her throat, and she grabbed Teddy's hand in despair. "Stay with me, Teddy, please. I need you." Then without further ado, she took the cap off the vial and dumped the contents down Teddy's throat.

Whatever the concoction was made of tasted terrible. It seemed to burn Teddy's throat, while gagging him at the same time. It was painful; his entire body convulsed in an effort to swallow the cure, all the while he wondered if he should ingest it - if it would heal him or make him die quicker.

Kathleen had hoped it would heal him. If she thought it was a cure he would take the risk, he would risk anything for her sake.

Teddy swallowed as his head throbbed, the breathlessness was making him feel dizzy. Any second he would pass out...but the real question was whether he would ever wake back up after that.

He faintly felt Kathleen's hand on his forehead. He tried to open his eyes, to see her face one last time, but it took too much energy. The burning sensation in his throat was lessening; he was only tired, nothing more.

Nothing more.

Teddy didn't know how long he had been unconscious for when he finally became aware that he was aware. He was still alive! He was sore, and his throat still hurt, but he didn't feel dizzy and fatigued. The cure had evidently worked.

He slowly sat up and opened his eyes, surprised to see the last remains of the sunset disappearing over the hills as the faraway stars took the light's place. He had been out for at least a few hours.

As his eyes continued to focus on the shadowy landscape around him, he suddenly heard soft breathing coming from the ground nearby. Sure enough, it was Kathleen, lying in the dirt next to Teddy, her hair knotted and filled with bits of dry grass, her eyes puffy and red. She looked exhausted and Teddy considered letting her sleep, but then decided she would get mad at him if he didn't tell her that he wasn't dead,- as confusing as that sounded in his own head.

"Kathleen?" He shook her shoulder gently and she woke up immediately, glancing around and panting like she had been in the middle of a nightmare.

"Kathleen?" Teddy repeated, still keeping a hand on her shoulder. "Are you-." He was interrupted by her squeal and then the strangling hug that followed.

"It worked! It worked!" She was on her feet, pulling Teddy up with her. "'Tis a miracle!" She grabbed both of his hands and did a brief celebratory dance before suddenly breaking down in tears. "I... I thought you were...-"

"Hush, I know." Teddy whispered, pulling her into another hug and stroking her hair. "But because of you, I remain in the land of the living." He smiled. "I am eternally grateful."

Kathleen sniffed, nodded, and then pulled away, gasping. "We still have a job to complete! We have to find the jeweler and Merlin and Morgan..."

"Well then,...onward!" Teddy smiled at her and she laughed weakly, brushing away the rest of her tears. Hand in hand, they set back up the hill. Maybe...hopefully, Merlin had finally arrived at home.

They walked at a brisk pace and within minutes, Teddy was ready to sleep for a decade. Nearly dying tended to wear one out. Still, it wasn't the same deadly style of exhaustion, and he glanced at Kathleen, thankful for the intelligence of his beautiful friend. She kept peeking at him too, Teddy noted and he was struck by a horrible feeling of guilt. She had thought he was dead. If he had thought that of her, his whole world would be shaken,- she was his best friend and so much more.

Teddy firmed his jaw. The solution, the only revenge would be to find the jeweler, or better yet, the jeweler's employer. Then they could put an end to the chaos and go back to life as it was.

Teddy and Kathleen reached the top of the hill, and were quick to notice movement through Merlin's windows. Somebody was inside, waiting.

"Carefully, now," Teddy cautioned Kathleen. "Stay right behind me."

She nodded and they crept forward, all the way up to Merlin's door. Before Teddy could reach for the doorknob, however, the door flung open and Merlin greeted them exuberantly.

"I thought the two of you had been kidnapped! What happened to staying inside, staying safe!"

"What happened to you, sir?" Teddy countered. "You never returned!"

Merlin sighed, calming down, and motioned for his apprentices to step inside and have a seat at the kitchen table. As Teddy and Kathleen walked into the kitchen, though, Kathleen let out a yelp. There was already someone seated at the table: Morgan Le Fay.

"What...what are you doing here?" Teddy asked, taking a step in front of Kathleen. Morgan was his first mentor, he shouldn't have felt so afraid of her, but after all the problems with the jeweler, who had somehow been in contact with Morgan, Teddy certainly didn't feel safe in her presence.

"I am assisting Merlin. There is no need for alarm." Morgan said in a rather annoyed tone.

"But you were with the jeweler!" Kathleen protested. "Teddy was nearly killed because of the curse on that necklace,- which you did nothing to stop!I had to find a cure myself, while his life was uncertain as rain in the desert!" Kathleen was nearly shouting.

"Kathleen, calm yourself." Merlin commanded in his deep, wise voice. "There is certainly evil in the land. Morgan was investigating it. The jeweler was only a pawn in the hands of a dark wizard. The necklace was all an attempt to clear my apprentices and I from the picture. It never got past Teddy, though, so the jeweler made another fearful stab at success."

"A stab, quite literally," said Teddy, rubbing his arm.

"So I heard." Merlin opened his mouth to continue, but a noise outside cut him short. The door flung open once again, and once again, it was the jeweler. In one hand, she clutched a poison dart. In the other hand, a necklace.


	10. Chapter 10

Kathleen was too mad to even scream. How dare that jeweler come back, she thought, and just as things were starting to clear up!

Merlin and Morgan had both moved towards the door, simultaneously reaching for their wands, when the jeweler threw down the poison dart and put up her hands in surrender.

"Stop!" She cried loudly, though she still held the jade colored necklace. "I am not going to harm any of you. I only beg for your mercy...and assistance"

Merlin motioned to Morgan, and the two slowly lowered their wands, all while moving closer to the jeweler Kathleen then noticed that Teddy had positioned himself in front of her, separating her from the jeweler. She figured it was probably a wise move on his part, she was tempted to claw the lady's eyes out, as it was.

"Explain yourself." Merlin commanded the jeweler. "I want to know the entire story."

Morgan leveled a look at the jeweler, apparently in agreement, and with a sigh, the cloaked woman began her tale.

"I am renowned amongst dark sorcerers and criminals for my poisons and curses, so I considered it about time when I received received orders to kill Merlin from a mysterious hooded wizard." The jeweler paused and gave Merlin and Morgan both a very sly, suspicious smile. "I came to the area, did my research, and planted the perfect trap. Merlin's apprentices would get sick first, he would investigate and invariably become ill as well, all because of my accursed necklace here." She stopped again, but instead of smiling creepily, she looked rather scared. The jeweler gulped and continued, "Morgan Le Fay was my contact. She made sure that I didn't give up the necklace too easily, it was my most valuable asset after all."

"Again, I was undercover." Morgan quickly added. "I was trying to discover her employer. I had to play the part."

Kathleen couldn't hold her tongue any longer. "But you could have warned Teddy and I! His life was in danger, and you knew!"

Morgan looked pained. "Kathleen, I understand your anger, but what could I have done without ruining my own mission?"

"You could have done something." This time it was Teddy who spoke. "We would have done anything to try to save you."

Morgan's hand trembled slightly, but she turned away and didn't respond to Teddy. She motioned to the jeweler instead. "Continue your tale."

"I came back for the necklace, fought off the apprentices and escaped, plotting how I could finish my job elsewhere. They found me, however, I didn't make a cure easy for them to obtain. That little witch," the jeweler pointed at Kathleen with a sneer, "was smarter than I expected, and she mixed up my potions in a nasty trick for me. She found the cure alright, but I stumbled into my own poison and now the cure is used up. My head is already spinning, and I have not the resources to brew another cure myself." She carefully placed the necklace on the ground, the malice in her dark eyes once more shifting to fear. "Take pity on me, in exchange for this necklace. I have stripped it of the curse and I do believe your apprentice," she addressed Merlin, "your apprentice used much of his earnings to buy it for the other apprentice."

Merlin firmed his jaw and did not reply for a long moment. Then, he asked, "who was your employer?"

The jeweler bowed her head. "I cannot say."

"If you wish for us to cure you, I expect cooperation."

"I do not know!" The jeweler's head snapped back up in desperation. "He, or she, was tall, with a long black cloak. The wizard did not speak, but only communicated through writing. Please, believe me!" The jeweler began to tremble and moan, rubbing her hands against her temples. Teddy stepped away from Kathleen. "Please, Merlin, sir? Can we help her? I know how painful that poison is and I know she is an enemy, but..."

Merlin was already nodding and setting to work.

Kathleen though, felt numb. How could Teddy forgive the lady that quickly? She had almost killed him! At the same time, however, Kathleen noted Teddy's compassion and something moved inside her, a deeper respect and admiration for her orange-haired friend. He was not an expert at spells, but he was kind and his heart was purer than her own. Suddenly, she wanted to be more like him, she wanted him to like her, she wanted his love and respect, just as he had hers.

"Kathleen." Merlin's voice stole her from her thoughts. "I believe you know as much about the cure as I do. May I request your assistance?"

"Of course, sir." Kathleen said. She crossed the room and quickly told Merlin all she knew about the cure. Meanwhile, she watched Teddy check the necklace, to see if what the jeweler had said was true. Morgan and the woman in question stood nearby in an angry whispered discussion. That reminded Kathleen of another question.

"Sir, why were you gone for so long? We were afraid something terrible had befallen you."

Merlin rubbed his beard with a free hand. "I did run into some trouble. Morgan attacked me before she realized that I was, well, me." Merlin gave a small chuckle. "Of course, that led to a long complex conversation about her suspicious behavior, but no worries," Merlin seemed to be talking to himself as much as he was to Kathleen. "She has been my friend for ages. I believe her undercover story. Why would she want to hurt me?"

"And she is helping us now, right? She gave up her investigation?" Kathleen queried.

"Yes. After apologizing to me she decided it was no longer worth it, evidently," said Merlin. He jotted down several notes on a piece of paper which to Kathleen's surprise, he then handed to Morgan.

"I believe that these are the instructions for the cure. See to it that it is administered immediately. You may then detain her for further investigation, but not until she is healed."

"Of course. Thank you, my old friend." Morgan smiled politely at everyone and then headed out the door, one hand holding the paper, the other hand steadying the dizzy-looking jeweler.

Kathleen glanced at her mentor in surprise. "'Tis all over?"

Merlin shook his head slightly. "It shall not be entirely over until the employer is found. Morgan's mission was interrupted, however, so it may be years before the real culprit is discovered. I think we are safe for now, though." He put a hand on Kathleen's shoulder and smiled a tired, but confident grin.

Kathleen still felt uneasy about the entire situation, but she trusted Merlin. If they came into conflict with the mysterious dak wizard again, next time she would be more prepared. She looked at Teddy and smiled weakly. They all would.

 _Epilogue_

Kathleen tucked her hair to the side as she reached into the soapy water. Even though it was her party, she had been happy to assist her mother in washing the dishes. They had several things to discuss- things that she didn't want the rest of her family, or Teddy and Merlin, to overhear.

Ever since Morgan had left with the jeweler, Kathleen had felt so guilty for her suspicion and hatred. Though the entire ordeal hadn't scared her physically, it had emotionally and she figured it would take time to get over. At least she still had Teddy. All symptoms of the poison had faded and he was as good as ever, happily experimenting with spells and then cleaning Merlin's library to erase all evidence of his mistakes. Though Merlin was constantly busy investigating the circumstances surrounding the "Dark Wizard," Kathleen figured that her mentor's earlier prediction would be right. Whoever the culprit was, was probably lying low and it could be another few years at least, before any other nefarious attempt was made. Kathleen certainly didn't mind.

The jeweler had been treated and further interrogated by Morgan, and then put into King Arthur's dungeon for the time being. Her other jewelry articles had been de-cursed by Teddy and Merlin and then given to the poor. Kathleen had thought that was very kind. After all, the necklace had been gorgeous...just dangerous.

"So, have you been thinking about what we discussed last time you visited?" Kathleen's mother asked delicately, drawing Kathleen back to her reason for the secret kitchen conversation.

"Aye. I've given it plenty of thought."

"Well, your father and I have, too, and we decided we don't want you to have to give up the opportunity that you have now."

"Wait," Kathleen felt her heart lighten. "So you're not planning to betroth me?"

"No, dear, you will still be betrothed, but we don't want you to have to give up your position as a sorceress."

Kathleen was frustrated. "I can't very well work with Merlin if you marry me off to some old fisherman here in Avalon."

"So, we are not going to betroth you to anyone in Avalon, then." Her mother had tears in her eyes. "I'll miss my wee girl so much, but we only want the best for you."

Kathleen took a shaky breath. "How do you plan to betroth me to someone in Camelot? You don't know anyone there. I don't know anyone there besides Morgan, Merlin and Teddy, and well, the occasional villager I meet when-" Kathleen broke off noting her mother's amused smile. In the silence she heard her father's laughter from the other room, brought on by one of Teddy's jokes. That was when it hit Kathleen.

"You want to betroth me to Teddy?"

Her mother sighed slightly. "I understand how close you are, and given this, your father and I both agreed to put off your engagement for another year or so, to get accustomed to the idea. You two will make the perfect couple, whether you realize it or not."

Kathleen was stunned, but not upset, just surprised. She opened her mouth to respond, but then, who else but Teddy, walked into the kitchen.

"Kathleen, this was in my pocket. I almost forgot about it." He handed her a small package and smiled genuinely at her mother. "Happy Birthday."

Kathleen dried her hands on her apron and unwrapped the gift. A green piece of jewelry shone brightly inside its packaging.

"'Tis the necklace! But, 'tis different.?"

"Aye, some of the stones got rearranged when Merlin and I were disenchanting it. I thought 'tis for the better. No bad memories, but still the same old stones."

She was touched by his thoughtfulness and quickly embraced him, not caring that her mother was still watching with that knowing smile.

Kathleen was glad that she didn't have to get engaged yet, but in another years time, to Teddy, her best friend...She smiled over his shoulder. Even with evil forces still against them, her future wasn't looking so scary anymore. She was content.


End file.
